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Westfield FFA Cup wrap: Round of 32 MD 4

Another cracking night of action with big crowds flocking to the four games across the country which all ended in regulation time.

Wollongong Wolves 0

Sydney FC 3

Simon (67’, 71’) Carney (90+1’)

Sydney FC avoided being another Hyundai A-League club to be bundled out by lower-league opposition, beating a stubborn Wollongong Wolves 2-0 at WIN Stadium.

In front of a record Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 crowd of 8029, it took a second half brace from Matt Simon and a stoppage-time strike from David Carney to ensure there would be no Cup boilover.

While the Sky Blues enjoyed most of the possession in the first half, there was little in terms of goal-scoring chances at either end.

But the visitors should have gone to the break in front after they won a penalty when Wolves substitute Blake McGinn dragged down David Carney in the box.

Milos Ninkovic’s tame penalty was excellently saved by Justin Pasfield down to his right to keep the PS4 NSW NPL strugglers on level terms at half-time.

While the Wolves were more of a threat going forward in the second half, the Sky Blues showed their class with Simon striking twice in four minutes.

First he showed great courage to head home from close range just as Pasfield was coming out to gather followed up by a composed finish with his right foot.

Josh MacDonald hit the post for the Wolves late on but that’s as close as they would get as Carney put the icing on the cake at the death as the Sky Blues progressed on the South Coast.

Melbourne Knights 2

Colosimo (21') Andrijasevic (70')

Cockburn City 1

Araya (45+1')

Melbourne Knights have completed a clean sweep for Victoria in the Round of 32 with a 2-1 win over Cockburn City at a very wet Knights Stadium.

The Knights ensured all six Victorian clubs - four from NPL Victoria, plus Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City - reached the last 16 following a 70th-minute winner from lively winger Stipo Andrijasevic.

It was 4,556 days since the ex-NSL club had last hosted a game on the national stage and they celebrated by opening the scoring in the 21st minute with Jacob Colosimo sliding in to knock Nick Glavan's cross past Luke Radonich.

With rain teeming down, the hosts continued to have the better of the chances, only for Cockburn City to equalise with the last kick before the break.

Angel Andres intercepted an attempted clearance in the box, evaded a couple of tackles and then cut the ball back for David Araya to poke home.

In a more even second half, the vast majority of the 1,864 fans erupted with 20 minutes remaining when Andrijasevic - who is set for a trial with Wellington Phoenix - blasted past Radonich with thanks to a deflection.

Brisbane Roar 0

Perth Glory 2

(Djulbic 12’, 19’)

Brisbane Roar succumbed to two early goals against a powerful Glory side who now progress to the Round of 16.

Nebo Marinkovic’s precise set piece from the right was powered home by Dino Djulbic to open the scoring.

And the big defender was on hand minutes later to sweep home a corner to make it a brace inside the opening 20 minutes.

The disastrous opening fired up the Roar as niggle crept into this all A-League clash with a yellow card to Matt McKay and Alex Grant, but the score remained 2-0 at half time.

Roar created better chances in the second stanza with Jamie Maclaren threatening and Thomas Broich coming on as a sub.

But the home side weren’t able to find a way past Liam Reddy as Perth progress.

Devonport Strikers 1

Dance (6’)

Lambton Jaffas 0

At a rainswept Valley Road “Portress” Devonport held on to defeata strong-finishing Lambton Jaffas 1-0 to progress to the Round of 16.

A disastrous start to this clash for the Jaffas who appealed for offside after Jesse Dance made the most of some poor defending to slot past veteran Brad Swancott.

The goal stood and the Strikers had an early a low cross into the box wasn’t cleared.

The Jaffas worked their way back into the contest and dominated, and they should’ve equalised on the stroke of half time had it not been for Dominic Smith’s big defence keeping out the visitors.

The Jaffas continued to dominate and they could’ve easily won this one had it not been for an extraordinary second half performance by Strikers’ keeper Nick Giantsopoulos.

The Canadian shotstopper was incredible, making at least four goal-saving stops to deny an impressive Jaffas side on a bitterly cold and wet night in Tassie.